Homelessness reaches new record level in Central New York, up 75% from 2023 count

Advocates are still finalizing numbers from this year's Point in Time Census Count of the homeless population in Central New York, trying to make sense of a staggering level of people they've never seen before. A record of 29 unsheltered individuals was identified in January of 2023; that number has gone up to at least 50 people, a 75% increase.

Megan Stuart, the director of the Housing and Homelessness Coalition, helps lead the charge with the annual "Point in Time" count. Federally mandated to happen in the final 10 days of January each year - Stuart lamented on the fact that they identified a record 29 people sleeping outside the night of the count in January 2023, knowing things have only gotten worse since.

'Point in time' homeless count underway across CNY, advocates expecting numbers to grow

Teams in Syracuse and Auburn searched their respective cities Wednesday night on foot and in cars, looking for people experiencing homelessness. Volunteers ask questions about their situation, and demographics, and try to help find them temporary shelter.

Stuart knew the numbers would go up, but didn't expect it to be this bad.

Her group first checked under the bridge on Bear Street, finding possible clothing and other materials but no one presently using the area. They then moved through the Northside, checking the parking lots of 24-hour businesses to see if anyone was making use of restrooms or trying to find a warm place, before arriving in a public lot behind the MOST downtown. There, Stuart looked on as another group of volunteers spoke to a man on Walden Street, just blocks from some of the most expensive apartments downtown.

"It's really an economic issue more than anything else," Stuart said, "rental costs have increased over 30% over the last three years, that's just becoming unaffordable for anyone to live in. What that does is squeeze out the folks with the lowest income out of housing altogether."

1 in 10 Syracuse students are homeless; more will join them without affordable housing

In 2023, The Housing and Homelessness Coalition reported that homelessness had increased by 30% across Cayuga, Onondaga and Oswego Counties. Family homelessness went up 41%, and of those people, 75% have never been homeless before. The organization is still working through these data points for 2024.

Oswego's new mayor, Rob Corradino, said that he knew homelessness would be a problem his administration would need to tackle in the Port City this year. He attended a four hour seminar on the topic with local advocates, somewhat dismayed to learn that they only had the tools to put a band-aid on the problem at the local level.

"With all these experts and people on the frontlines, there was no clear-cut answer how to solve that problem," Corradino said.

CNY Central's reporting showed that many of the people that couldn't find housing were actively working full time jobs, with Onondaga County's sole family shelter stretched thin. The winter cold puts additional strains on shelters with more people trying to find a warm place to sleep.

Housing advocates are encouraged by recent initiatives taken by Mayor Ben Walsh in Syracuse, who is pledging to have 2,500 new units of housing either finished or under construction by the time he leaves office at the end of 2025. His administration is trying to overcome the reality laid bare by a comprehensive housing study showing that there is a gulf between the cost necessary to get Syracuse's housing stock fixed, and the cost that people are capable of affording.

Syracuse mayor pledges 2,500 new housing options amid city's affordability crisis

CNY Central will update this report once this year's count is finalized.